DENVER, Aug. 23, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smithfield and former Denver football star Mark Schlereth donated more than 25,000 pounds of protein to Food Bank of the Rockies today, as part of the 23rd stop on Smithfield’s nationwide Helping Hungry Homes tour. Smithfield partnered with Albertsons/Safeway to provide this considerable contribution of more than 100,000 servings of protein.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/482d394c-b649-4494-8434-78c515daf512
Schlereth joined representatives from Smithfield and Albertsons/Safeway to present the donation to Food Bank of the Rockies, discussing the importance of donations like this in the Denver region where 18 percent of children don’t know from where their next meal will come. The Albertsons/Safeway Foundation supported the contribution with a $2,500 check presentation to Food Bank of the Rockies, which will support 10,000 meals.
Helping Hungry Homes, now in its eighth year, is Smithfield’s coast-to-coast program to help Americans become more food secure. This year, as part of an effort to raise awareness about the necessity of providing assistance to individuals and families in need, the program will help fight hunger through more than 30 large-scale protein donations to food banks across the United States totaling more than 3.5 million servings. To date, Helping Hungry Homes has provided more than 40 million servings of protein to food banks across America.
“I’m proud to once again lend a helping hand to Food Bank of the Rockies by teaming up with Smithfield for the 23rd stop of their nationwide Helping Hungry Homes tour to donate more than 25,000 pounds of protein,” said Mark Schlereth, NFL analyst and ESPN radio host. “The Denver community has been so supportive of my professional career, from offensive guard to analyst, so I’m excited to be able to give back and help provide more than 100,000 servings to help alleviate hunger locally.”
“We are grateful for this contribution from Smithfield’s Helping Hungry Homes program,” said Kevin Seggelke, president and CEO, Food Bank of the Rockies. “One in seven people in Colorado struggle to have enough to eat and this donation will help hungry families and provide needed nourishment. We appreciate partners like Smithfield for helping us fight hunger in our community.”
“Our company is committed to eradicating hunger and serving our community,” said Kris Staaf, director of public affairs, Albertsons/Safeway Denver Division. “We commend partners like Smithfield for stepping up and supporting local food banks with large donations of protein. As a founding partner of Food Bank of the Rockies, we know there are many families in need and this donation will have a significant impact.”
“We are grateful to partners like Mark Schlereth and Safeway who join our Helping Hungry Homes program to fight hunger both locally and nationally,” said Dennis Pittman, Smithfield senior director of hunger relief. “As a food company, we believe it’s our responsibility to support our local communities. Through this donation, we are proud to provide wholesome protein to families and individuals in the Denver area.”
About Smithfield
A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the “Ham Capital of the World.” From hand-trimmed bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield's products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com, www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand, and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield. Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Nathan's Famous®, Farmland®, Armour®, John Morrell®, Cook's®, Kretschmar®, Gwaltney®, Curly's®, Margherita®, Carando®, Healthy Ones®, Krakus®, Morliny®, and Berlinki®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.
About Food Bank of the Rockies
Food Bank of the Rockies, a non-profit organization, distributed nearly 60 million meals last year through our direct service programs and partner agencies, serving clients in Northern Colorado, including Metro Denver, and the entire state of Wyoming. 1 in 7 Coloradans, including nearly 1 in 4 Colorado children, struggle with hunger. Since 1978, FBR has provided more than 566 million meals to people in need in our community. Food Bank of the Rockies is a member of Feeding America. For additional information, please visit www.foodbankrockies.org. “Like” FBR on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our blog!
About Albertsons Companies
Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. We operate stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 19 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. Albertsons Companies is dedicated to helping people across the country live better lives. In 2015 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the company gave more than $270 million in food and financial support to the more than 2,200 communities it serves, improving the lives of millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, programs for people with disabilities, and veterans outreach. Albertsons Companies is committed to making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood.